Connected TV-OTT Ad Fraud Is Rising

Growing media fraud is now hitting the connected TV/OTT space.

DoubleVerify, a measurement-analytics firm that authenticates the quality and effectiveness of digital media, says a botnet -- a network of internet-connected devices running bots -- attacked connected TV(CTV)-Over the Top (OTT) platforms, resulting in a 40% spike in October in fraudulent impression traffic.

Of the attack, 63% of impressions were made to look as if they were coming from smart TVs, and 37% from gaming consoles. DoubleVerify says this marks the first direct botnet attack for CTV-OTT platforms.

To generate fraudulent impressions, the botnet spoofs real publishers' URLs, sending false signals to ad servers that the impressions came from a CTV device. DoubleVerify Fraud Lab identified this through a combination of machine algorithms and manual processes, analyzing trends in fraud across devices.

Wayne Gattinella, CEO, DoubleVerify, stated: “With current data showing approximately 50% of all Internet users access an online video subscription service or network TV app at least once a week, CTV ad volumes and the opportunity for CTV ad fraud have grown in line with user adoption.”

advertisement

advertisement

Once identified, the company said it took action to protect customers from potential fraud throughout pre- and post-bid media transactions.

Previously, DoubleVerify detected and protected a similar botnet fraud in desktop and mobile app platforms.

Advertising on connected TV/OTT platforms is expected to nearly double this year to $8.2 billion, according to Tru Optik, with less than one-fourth of spending coming from marketers’ linear TV ad budgets.

Next story loading loading..